Photographic filmstrip

ABSTRACT

A photographic filmstrip having predefined image areas regularly spaced from one another at a uniform pitch distance includes discontinuities for facilitating the splicing of two of such filmstrips together end-to-end in such a manner that, when spliced, the endmost image area of one strip will be spaced from the adjacent image area of the other strip by a distance which is a multiple of the pitch distance.

United States Patent v 1191 1111 Brown et al. Mar. 5, 1974 PHOTOGRAPHICFILMSTRIP 1,383,745 7 1921 Newman 156/157 3,408,726 ll 1968 B 156 l57[75] invenmrs: Brown, Rochester; David 1,319,209 1051919 c3221 352235 N.Schwardt, Webster, both of N.Y. i7 3] Ass gn Eas a Kbdak p y, PrimaryExaminerSarnuel S. Matthews Rochester, Assistant ExaminerRussell E.Adams, Jr.

[22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1971 21 Appl No.2 205,853 [57] ABSTRACT Aphotographic filmstrip having predefined image 152 us. (:1 352/235,352/236, 352/241 areas regularly Spaced from one another at a uniform51] Int. Cl G030 1/76 Pitch distance includes discontinuitiesfacilitating [58] Field Search 352/236 235, 241, the splicing of two ofsuch filmstrips together end-to- 156/157 end in such a manner that, whenspliced, the endmost i image area of one strip will be spaced from theadja- [56] vReferences Cited cent image area of the other strip by adistance which UNITED STATES PATENTS is a multiple of the pitchdistance. 2,606,409 8/1952 Gordon 352 235 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1rnorocmrnrc FILMSTRIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention I The present invention relates to a photographic filmstripsof the type having predefined, regularly-spaced image areas. Moreparticularly, the invention provides an improved format for suchfilmstrip which facilitates splicing and other film-handling chores, andenhances the sequencing and timing of various operations of photographicprocessing and printing apparatus.

2. Description Relative to the Prior Art The advent filmstrips havingpredefined, regularlyspaced image areas or frames (see U.S. Pat. No.3,086,862) expedited the operation of apparatus, such as photographicprinters: because each such image area is now defined by a pre-exposedborder, each area can be provided with a corresponding meteringperforation located in predetermined relationship thereto. Such anarrangement permits an image area to be precisely located at, say, aprint gate of a photograpic printer simply by engaging its associatedperforation with a fixed stop. Since adjacent image areas are spacedfromeach other by a uniform pitch distance, it is possible to add a scanningstation spaced upstream from the print station by a multiple of suchpitch distance so that when one image area is aligned for printing, asecond image area is aligned for scanning, and both operations mayproceed concurrently.

Prior to the introduction of the above system, it had long been thepractice not to present film to the printer or other processingapparatus as discrete filmstrips of, for example, 12 or 20 frames, butrather to splice a series of such filmstrips together to form a singlecontinuous strip. To form a continuous strip out of a series offilmstrips having predefined image areas requires accurate splicing if apitch distance (or multiple thereof) relationship is to be maintainedbetween the trailing image area of one filmstrip and the leading imagearea of the succeeding filmstrip, thereby to facilitate theaforementioned printing operation. In a search for some means foraccurately registering successive filmstrips to accomplish such in-pitchsplicing, it was decided to utilize the leading and trailing filmmetering perforations of the respective filmstrips by, for example,inserting registration pins therethrough. Such an approach was not,however, totally satisfactory in that the metering perforations hadpreviously been engaged by a metering pawl in the camera and wouldthereafter be engaged by the stop(s) at the printer work station. Toengage the metering perforations again, i.e., at the splicing station,might produce sufficient cumulative deformation of the perforations tocause filmstrip misalignment at the printer work station. Also, suchperforations are located so close to their respective image areas as tocreate a likelihood of smudging or otherwise damaging the image areaswhile registering the filmstrip for splicing. Furthermore, with such amethod, the leading and trailing image areas of the successive splicedfilmstrips must be the same distance apart as the adjacent image areasof a single discrete filmstrip; and such close spacing as will beevident below requires the splicing operation to be carried out inthedark whereas, by means of the invention, the inpitch splicing of exposedsensitized. filmstrips may be done in ordinary room light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that in-pitch white lightsplicing can be achieved by providing first and second registrationpoints at, respectively, the leading and trailing ends of a photographicfilmstrip, and by locating such points in a certain predeterminedrelationship to, respectively, the leading and trailing image areas ofthe filmstrip.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, suchregistration points comprise first and second perforations so spacedfrom their associated image areas that when the first perforation of onefilmstrip is registered with the second perforation of a like filmstrip,a three-pitch distance separates a point on the leading image area ofthe one filmstrip from a corresponding point on the trailing image areaof the like filmstrip.

Object(s) of the invention: To provide a speciallyarranged format for afilmstrip, whereby not only are various film handling operationsfacilitated, but also, whereby the format lends itself readily to aspecial rack design for use in film processing procedures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a representation of asplicing station for use with the subject invention,

FIG. 5 depicts a use of the subject invention in combination with aphotographic processor,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a representation of the subject invention in combination witha photographic printer.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1, there is shown aphotographic filmstrip 11 of the type having predefined frames or imageareas 13 uniformly spaced therealong at a predetermined pitch distanceP, as measured from a point on one image area to a corresponding pointon an adjacent image area.

Each image area has an associated film metering perforation 15 locatedin predetermined spaced relation thereto. In the interval betweenadjacent image areas, there is provided a system of frame identifyingnumerals l7 and arrows 19 servingto identify the respective image areas.Cut lines 21 may also be provided'in the intervening space betweenframes to assist in cutting the filmstrip'into smaller segments forreturn to the customer, and also to assist in accurately aligning thefilmstrip at various work stations so that appropriate operations may beperformed thereon. The filmstrip may also include a code perforation 22,preferably at one end of the filmstrip, to indicate which of twopossible lengths of film (12 or 20 exposures, for example) is present.

Adjacent the leading film end 23 (i.e., the end nearest the leadingframe number one), there is provided a first registration meansconveniently in the form of a discontinuity, such as a perforation 25,which is spaced from a point on the leading frame by a distance X. Ad-

jacent the opposite, or trailing, film end 27 is a second registrationmeans in the form of a perforation 29, which is spaced a distance Y froma point on the trailing frame (frame number twenty in this case), whichpoint corresponds to the aforementioned point on the leading frame.Perforations 25 and 29 are desirably so located that the sum of thedistances X and Y is equal to a multiple of the pitch distance P (in theinstant case, a multiple of three).

In accordance with the above arrangement, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,when a first filmstrip A is aligned longitudinally with a secondfilsmtrip B of like nature, the perforation 25 of the filmstrip A may beplaced in register with the perforation 29 of the filmstrip B by, forexample, placing the perforations over a registration pin 31. As shownin FIG. 2, when the two filmstrips are so registered, a point on thetrailing image area (i.e., frame number of the filmstrip B will be in acertain pitch distance relationship with a corresponding'point on theleading image area (frame number l) of the filmstrip A; specifically,such points will be spaced apart by a distance'equal to three times thepitch distance P.

FIG. 4 illustrates a way in which the above pitch distance relationshipmay be advantageously employed in splicing together several discretefilmstrips into a single strip for continuous processing. FIG. 4diagrammatically shows a portion of a splicing station, at which exposedfilm A embodying the subject invention is (partially) removed from afilm cartridge 33 and spliced in pitch distance relationship to thetrailing end of a like filmstrip B to form a continuous strip of filmwhich may then, for example, be wound on a storage reel 35. Duringsplicing, both the cartridge 33 and the reel 35 may be advantageouslyenclosed within respective lighttight chambers 37 and 38 with only therespective filmstrip ends, exclusive of the image areas, being exposedto ambient white light. This arrangement is made possible by the factthat, when such ends are in registry, a three-pitch distance existsbetween corresponding points on adjacent image areas 39 and 41, therebyallowing sufficient room for the operator to manipulate the ends of thestrips even though the image areas are retained within the respectivedarkened chambers. Of course, it should be understood that a pitchdistance multiple of more than three could be employed; however, to doso would generate needless film wasteage. Following registration, thefilm ends may be clamped, cut, and spliced together, and the filmstrip Bwound onto the reel 35 after a suitable shield (not shown) has beenfitted in place to protect the film from light rays during advancement.

The practice of FIG. 4 which is made possible by means of thespecially-disposed registration perforations and 29 constitutes asignificant advance over the prior practice of splicing wherein allframes in the composite strip are a given pitch distance apart. Thepractice of FIG. 4 can be done in room light, whereas prior filmstripsplicing procedures had to be done in the dark, because filmstripleaders and trailers were discarded, thus making filmstrip handlingrelatively difficult.

FIG. 7 depicts a filmstrip according to the subject invention incombination with a photographic printer having spaced apart scan andprint stations 37 and 39. The filmstrip .lli is advanced by rollers 41until suitably located retractable pawls 4,3 engage respective meteringperforations 115 to stop such advancement and position film image areas113 at the scan and print stations. Signals from photocells 45 areapplied to. a detector circuit S which detects when the filmstrip iscorrectly positioned for printing, whereupon the detector S applies asignal to activate a scanner 47 to determine the correct exposure forthe image area which is positioned at the scan station 37. The scanneroutputis applied to a computer I which determines. the printing exposureto be used for the just-scanned frame. Upon completion of suchcomputations, a signal is applied by the computer l to a pawl release R,and the computed exposure is applied to memory device M. Concurrentlywith the above operation, a signal from the detector S causes, by meansofa trigger the memory device M to apply the previously calculatedexposure determination for the image area then positioned at printstation .39 to a printer control C. The printer control C actuates theprinter lamp 49 for an appropriatelength of time so as to transfer anenlarged image to photosensitive paper 50 via the lens system L ofthe'printer. Following such exposure, a signal is sent by the control Cto a paper advance 51 and to the pawl release R. When the pawl release Rhas received signals from both the exposure computer I and the printercontrol C, the pawls 43 are retracted, and the film 11 is advanced bythe rollers 41, whereupon the above operations are repeated on thenext-succeeding image areas. It should be understood that in the abovearrangement, the same aforementioned pitch distance relationship thatexists between the respective leading and trailing image areas of thespliced-together filmstrips also exists between print station 39 andscan'station 37 so as to assure that at all times at least one of saidstations will be in alignment with a film image area which is to saythat the timing and sequencing of the printer operations arefacilitated.

FIG. 5 depicts an additional use which is contemplated for theregistration perforations of the invention. A tank-type processor hasprocessing fluid F contained in a tank 53. Above the tank '53 is amovable rack 55 from which discrete filmstrips lll are suspended forimmersion in the fluid F. In priorsystems, spring clamps were used tosecure the filmstrip to the rack and also to attach a weight 57 to thefree end of the filmstrip, but such clamps so deformed the filmstripends as .to interfere with subsequent splicing operations. As a resuitof the invention, both the rack 55 and'weights 57 may be modified toinclude pins 59 for insertion through the perforations 29 and 25, so asto securely engage the filmstrip without causing substantialdeformationthereof.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodimentsthereof,

but it will be understood that variations and modifications can beeffected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a given filmstrip having a leading end, a trailing end, means fordefining a plurality of metering perfora-. tions longitudinally spacedat uniform intervals along 6 areas to a corresponding point on the otherof said adgiven filmstrip and a corresponding point on the jacent imageareas, the improvement wherein: trailing image area of said secondfilmstrip will be said given filmstrip is further provided with firstand I substantially equal to three times said pitch dissecondregistration means at, respectively, the tance.

leading and trailing ends of said given filmstrip, 5 2. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein said first registrasaid registration means being solocated that when tion means comprises a discontinuity adjacent said thefirst registration means of said given filmstn'p is leading filmstripend. I

placed in register with a second registration means 3. The invention ofclaim 2, wherein said second regof a like second filmstrip that islongitudinally istration means comprises a discontinuity adjacent saidaligned with said given filmstrip, the distance be- 10 trailingfilmstrip end.

tween a point on the leading image area of said

1. In a given filmstrip having a leading end, a trailing end, means fordefining a plurality of metering perforations longitudinally spaced atuniform intervals along said filmstrip, and a plurality of predefinedlike image areas residing at regular, longitudinally-spaced locationsalong said filmstrip so as to define a predetermined pitch distancebetween adjacent image areas as measured from a point on one of saidadjacent image areas to a corresponding point on the other of saidadjacent image areas, the improvement wherein: said given filmstrip isfurther provided with first and second registration means at,respectively, the leading and trailing ends of said given filmstrip,said registration means being so located that when the firstregistration means of said given filmstrip is placed in register with asecond registration means of a like second filmstrip that islongitudinally aligned with said given filmstrip, the distance between apoint on the leading image area of said given filmstrip and acorresponding point on the trailing image area of said second filmstripwill be substantially equal to three times said pitch distance.
 2. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein said first registration means comprises adiscontinuity adjacent said leading filmstrip end.
 3. The invention ofclaim 2, wherein said second registration means comprises adiscontinuity adjacent said trailing filmstrip end.